Pippin Tour?- Page 6

[trpguyy]

Posted: 10/31/14 at 7:42pm

Dame, is it possible for someone to BRING IT and also improve? Or should an actor stay stagnant in a role?

[DAME]

Posted: 10/31/14 at 7:45pm

Of course. But you have to BRING IT first. Especially in a Broadway show or first national tour. It's the top of the top. Like the olympics.

Updated On: 10/31/14 at 07:45 PM

[JoseLee_]

Posted: 10/31/14 at 8:01pm

@DAME I agree with you a hundred percent but my point is that just cause someone doesn't like that actor or not going to see the show cause of an actor is dumb because they are already IN THE SHOW... all they CAN DO is IMPROVE. They aren't going to fire her just because someone doesn't like her take on the role. As for Pippin, well... haha

[HorseTears]

Posted: 10/31/14 at 8:25pm

I'm sorry to harp on about this, but I really take exception with this "well, she's getting better" BS as though she's some student. And, I'm sorry, but this is not about "not liking her take on the role". In fact, there is no 'take' on the role. This is about the fact that this woman cannot act and cannot dance. I cannot believe the casting for such a high profile role in an otherwise rather spectacular 1st national tour was done so poorly. This role requires a triple threat. Period. No compromises. There is no way you can convince me that being a losing contestant on a somewhat popular singing reality competition makes her a big enough star to warrant ignoring her obvious deficiencies as a performer. There is ZERO dramatic intention behind anything she says or sings on stage - save for a scene or two in the second act.

Yes, she can belt. Very well. But is being able to belt and being able to project one's voice all you expect out of a Leading Player? You know, Miller could belt pretty damn well, too. And while she may not have been perfect, there was intention and meaning behind what she was singing. There was a character there - whether you felt she was too steely as the LP is one thing - but there's no denying that she actually developed a character and made dramatic choices. Allen didn't appear to do any of this. She was just a singer, standing on a stage in a costume, barely able to keep up with an ensemble of fantastic actor/singer/dancers. It was embarrassing. Two of my friends who joined me are not regular theatregoers, but even they noticed and made a point to comment on how lackluster her performance was when compared to every single other person in that cast. I'm not exaggerating when I say this is easily one of the worst performances I've seen in an equity tour.

What's so disappointing is that they seemed to get every other bit of casting perfect and then ****ed it up with the most high profile leading role. And, to be clear, I was not suggesting that people who have never seen this production skip the tour. I WAS saying that if you had seen the original cast in NY and you'd like to preserve your memories of that singular experience, I'd recommend skipping the LA stop, because you basically get the same experience with a GIANT gaping hole in the middle.

Updated On: 10/31/14 at 08:25 PM

[Showface]

Posted: 10/31/14 at 8:38pm

I wanted to see this for the first time live---but now I'm having second thoughts after reading some reviews of Allen's performance...I mean, she's the LP and that's an important role...someone convince me to still see it...

[HorseTears]

Posted: 10/31/14 at 8:45pm

Showface - if you've not seen this production, despite the disappointing performance of Allen, I still heartily recommend seeing the tour. If you're in LA, I especially recommend seeing the tour before Matthew James Thomas and Andrea Martin depart, though I'm sure it will still be very strong after they leave. There is still an abundance of talent and theatrical magic on display and the opportunity to see such good old fashioned showmanship on a Broadway stage is dwindling. The spectacle in this show is courtesy of the extraordinary ensemble of actor/singer/dancer/acrobats. Don't miss it.

Updated On: 10/31/14 at 08:45 PM

[keb2]

Posted: 10/31/14 at 8:45pm

Showface, you should definitely see it.

I've seen this production five times now, and it's one of those shows that's greater than the sum of its parts—even when a few performances are off, or the energy is weird that night, the whole thing is still pretty amazing, and definitely worthwhile.

[JoseLee_]

Posted: 10/31/14 at 8:52pm

You guys make her sound like an amateur. Shes okay. That's it. She not so bad that every time shes on stage people are in shock how bad she is (experienced that before, this was not it). Yes they should of casted a triple threat but they didn't. People who are experiencing the show for the first time wont even know that her acting isn't that good, because she's the "narrator". I promise you that I didn't hear one complaint about anyone at intermission or the stage door from anyone just here.

[lovebwy]

Posted: 10/31/14 at 9:22pm

See it. Sasha sings her ass off. She ain't Ben Vereen or Patina Miller, but who is?

It's very rare that we in Los Angeles get such a high caliber production here. It's very good.

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 11/1/14 at 2:57am

Let's be clear...despite what is lacking in Allen's performance, EVERYTHING else about the tour is a top quality production. That happens so rarely.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 11/1/14 at 3:05am

I have to say, one of the pleasures of catching this tour after first seeing the show in NY last year is noticing all the little things that you either didn't see on your first round or that you forgot about because there is SO MUCH good stuff happening on that stage. For example, I completely forgot about Fastrada's quick changes during "Spread A Little Sunshine". In fact, I may be wrong about this, but they seemed even faster on tour than they did on Broadway. Really stunning.

[lisaleela]

Posted: 11/1/14 at 4:30am

"There is NEVER going to be another person who sings & acts like Patina Miller. GET OVER IT."

Never! I feel I missed out big time not seeing her on Broadway. I adore Patina. Nobody will replace her but for the love of goddess they could've tried harder to find someone relatively comparable. Ahh well I will enjoy the show regardless. Despite Matthew James Thomas being gone by next Saturday when I go. I'm happy I'll see Andrea. :)

I'm going to see the show Nov 8 at 2pm. Extreme left side of mezzanine but row A. Very happy and looking forward to it! :) just to take it ALL in. All the music I've been listening to for over a year! So excited. I dreamed of going to NYC and seeing Patina in the role of LP, but she left way before I got a chance to. Nobody will replace her and that is rather sad. Maybe just maybe Patina will surprise us with a one day appearance as LP. Barring that, maybe Ben Vereen!

[HorseTears]

Posted: 11/1/14 at 5:41am

Put down the box of Franzia, Lisa. It's all gonna be good. You'll still love every other aspect of the show, I'm sure of it.

[jwsel]

Posted: 11/2/14 at 7:12pm

I saw the tour production last Thursday. It was my second time seeing the show, having seen the Broadway production last year around this time. At that show, Patina was out and I saw Gabrielle McClinton as the LP.

No, Sasha Allen is not Patina -- but who is? On the other hand, despite the comments I had read before the show, I was surprisingly pleased by her performance. Her singing was top-notch and her dancing was more fluid and she didn't seem to be working as hard as McClinton did. When McClinton did the Manson Trio, she was outclassed by the other dancers; I did not have that feeling at all with Allen.

Where Allen struggles is in creating the increasingly menacing LP as the show progresses. McClinton had the same problem. I just think it's a very rare actor who can accomplish that.

None of that took away from what was an incredible evening of theater. I loved the show in New York, but thought the acrobats seemed sharper on the tour. (Perhaps that was because I saw the original show several months into the run and some standouts like Orion Griffiths were out at the time.) The featured cast was great and, for the most part was on par with the New York cast. I probably preferred Terrence Mann to John Rubinstein, who was a bit hard to understand in War Is A Science, but Sabrina Harper was an even better Fastrada than Charlotte D'Amboise.

Also, despite my general dislike of the Pantages because of its size, the larger theater seemed to help amp up the energy and enthusiasm.

Anyone who is reluctant to see the tour because of Sasha Allen really should reconsider. This a great production.

[WestCoastActor/Director]

Posted: 11/3/14 at 2:31am

I was at Matthew James Thomas's final performance as Pippin at the Pantages tonight. Sasha was out tonight and Lisa Karlin was on as the Leading Player. Someone said that she's been sick.

This was my third time seeing Matthew as Pippin. He was on fire tonight. His voice sounded great and he was funnier than ever and was the best I have seen him.

Andrea stopped the show and got a standing ovation after her song. She didn't get that last week when I saw it. The final moments with Berthe and Pippin were emotionally charged. They have such great chemistry and this was a touching final time together.

The cast applauded Matthew tonight and he blew kisses to them. An exciting show for sure.

It was also Porridge's final show. Matthew posted this video of Porridge singing tonight right before the show:

https://vine.co/v/OOpUL5ZgLj6

Updated On: 11/3/14 at 02:31 AM

[HorseTears]

Posted: 11/3/14 at 3:05am

How was Lisa Karlin?

[WestCoastActor/Director]

Posted: 11/3/14 at 4:12am

She was excellent. She was very assured in the role- great dancing, strong vocals. It did throw me at first to see a white Leading Player after seeing Patina and Sasha. With no other African American women in the show I guess they don't have a choice.

Here is an understudy question. Sabrina Harper who plays Fastrada is listed as the understudy for Berthe. That seems unusual since Berthe is smaller role. Is that something that anyone else has ever seen?

[trpguyy]

Posted: 11/3/14 at 4:48am

Berthe has less stage time but bows after Fastrada (and Catherine).

[DAME]

Posted: 11/3/14 at 2:59pm

I bet you the guy from The Voice goes into the tour after his broadway engagement. Also look for Annie Potts to join the tour at some point. Those television names do help when they start playing the midwest and so on.

[darreyl102]

Posted: 11/3/14 at 6:05pm

Isn't Annie going to be doing the tour of Ann: The Ann Richards play ? or is that not happening anymore- i haven't heard much since it was announced.

[DAME]

Posted: 11/3/14 at 7:10pm

@darreyl you are right. We went to a taping of a sitcom she is in now for ABC family.. and in one of the breaks she took questions from the audience and someone asked her about Pippin. She said she was not done with it yet. But that was before the Ann Richards thing and even before that production of Steel Magnolias she was suppose to do.

Updated On: 11/3/14 at 07:10 PM

[Pauly3]

Posted: 11/3/14 at 8:16pm

Saw the touring production over the weekend in LA, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. This thread helped push me over the edge to go see it, so thank you!

Someone said you are a fool if you live around LA and miss this production, and I agree - especially since Andrea Martin has joined the cast. The extraordinary applause she gets is not undeserved.

Regarding Sasha Allen, I thought she was more than fine. I admit I am not a great judge of acting or dancing ability, but I didn't think she was ever a fish out of water - and she certainly wasn't embarrassing. And the applause she received did not appear to be out of whack in any noticeable way.

All in all, I came away with a favorable view of the show and of Ms. Allan.

[PepperedShepherd]

Posted: 11/3/14 at 10:14pm

I first saw PIPPIN last May in NYC with KDM and Ciara. (I thought both were excellent.) I have now seen the tour twice at the Pantages -- and will be going again next week.

My 2 cents:

Yes, Sasha is a terrific singer and a barely adequate dancer -- but I had no problem with her acting. And, more to the point: I spoke with friends who were PIPPIN virgins. They all thought that she was "amazing" in voice AND performance (and actually felt that I was being too critical of her dancing). So, I guess that means she is not the Casting Disaster that some would have you believe her to be.

At the 2nd tour performance I saw, Sasha was out, and Lisa was on. No question that she is the better dancer of the two, though her voice is a bit thinner. Acting-wise, she seemed very much in line with what Sasha had been doing (i.e. the Leading Player comes off as a somewhat-peevish control freak until the reveal at the end).

John Rubinstein is wonderful and is obviously having a ton of fun as Charlemagne. But Terrence Mann handles "War is a Science" far better.

I loved Charlotte d'Ambroise on Broadway -- but Sabrina Harper KILLS IT as Fastrada. Any deficiencies you may find in Sasha's dancing are more than compensated for by Sabrina.

Andrea Martin is a goddess. That is all.

I am withholding comparing/contrasting MJT with KDM since I loved them both.

Bottom Line: GO SEE THIS SHOW!

[RW3]

Posted: 11/3/14 at 10:35pm

That Vine is too cute!

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/3/14 at 10:41pm

$10 say Kaufman joins the tour now since PIPPIN is closing on Broadway Jan. 4.